kundu remeo
collaboration with penny sadubin

Kundu = Gumea Dharawal for ‘trees’, Remeo = Latin for ‘a return, to bring back, revert’

An interactive experience, Kundu Remeo (working title) encourages the local Bomaderry community to engage with the ecological diversity of our natural and urban spaces. A multi-sensory and evolving ‘tree library’ installed in a disused commercial space reminds us of what has always been here, what remains and what is introduced, celebrating the spirit and stories behind the species we share our suburb with.

The work is a projection and sound installation incorporating drawn, and photographed visuals, soundscapes and spoken word, that acknowledge and celebrate what grows with and around us. The work seeks to highlight the significance of ancient, endemic and introduced living environments and the connections we carry, remember and establish through our interactions with them. 

Through Kundu Remeo, members of the community are invited to engage with the natural environment of Bomaderry, to capture and share moments of interaction with the trees in our suburb through images, audio recordings and written words, for inclusion in the work.

The artists will initiate the project by contributing 10 trees and their stories through soundscape, visual and spoken word reflection, creating the base installation, which will evolve through community input. Incorporating sounds, stories and visual representations of the trees in Bomaderry, the work will essentially become a ‘library’ of the connections between the living species - plant and human of this unique area.

Through a website, contributors will be guided through the process of exploring the area and capturing data to contribute to the work. A map marking the location of the artists’ 10 trees, along with instructions on how to find, draw, photograph, write and/or record a tree, will guide and encourage the community to explore and engage with another tree for inclusion in the work.

Contributions will be submitted via email and then woven into the existing work through visual or sound mediums. Written accounts will be recorded as spoken word and layered into the soundscape to be played in conjunction with the projected visuals. With the use of 3D mapping technology, visuals will encase the walls, floor and ceiling, transforming the installation space into a sanctuary of natural beauty and reflection.

With consultation and assistance from First Nations custodians, knowledge of the species, traditional names, stories and uses will embed the project in the ancient and deepen the experience and significance of the work and its connection to Bomaderry the place.